


come away with me

by marvellingyou (tourmalinex)



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Airports, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Bisexual Steve Rogers, Bottom Steve Rogers, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Fluff, Gay Bucky Barnes, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Modern Bucky Barnes, Modern Steve Rogers, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Oral Sex, Phone Sex, Romantic Fluff, Sam Wilson Is a Good Bro, Steve Rogers is Not a Virgin, Strangers to Lovers, Top Bucky Barnes, the only angst is ldr related but it's fairly minimal
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:41:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27737833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tourmalinex/pseuds/marvellingyou
Summary: Steve Rogers is a wedding planner in New York City and a hopeless romantic. Bucky Barnes works for Shelbyville's Parks and Rec, teaching swimming beginners. They meet on game night and fall in love.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 32
Kudos: 72
Collections: Marvel Trumps Hate 2019





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Kalika999 (kalika_999)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kalika_999/gifts).



> Hey guys! This is for the lovely kalika_999, who was my top bidder for MTH 2019 and was very understanding for taking so damn long! ~~This year has been one hell of a ride.~~ Without further ado, some stucky cuteness!

_────────────────────────────────────────────────────  
And I want to wake up with the rain  
_ _Falling on a tin roof  
_ _While I'm safe there in your arms  
_ _So all I ask is for you  
_ _To come away with me in the night  
_ _Come away with me  
_ ────────────────────────────────────────────────────

Steve Rogers was good at his job. After graduating from college with a degree in art and design, he set out to prove some people wrong by starting his own company. He started off alone, working in his one-bedroom apartment. Someone else might have started an interior design company, especially if they had Steve’s eye for aesthetics. But Steve Rogers was a fucking romantic sap. And now, in the late 2010s, Steve could help queer couples have the wedding of their dreams. 

For the first two years, working as a wedding planner was utter hell. He didn’t have all the connections—unless you counted his godbrother, Tony Stark, but he refused every offer Stark had made—and he couldn’t get discounts because he was so fresh and new. Not to mention that while it wasn’t exactly news to Steve, some people were just plain ol’ assholes. But Steve was stubborn as could be and refused to throw in the towel. So he worked, and worked, and worked until he had a smooth operation going. Was it small with much need of improvement? Absolutely. 

But it was the start he needed.

Fast-forward another two and a half years, and Steve builds a small reputation among the queer community, with businesses and engaged couples alike. His baby company was growing, and he couldn’t be happier.

And yet, there were times when Steve wondered which god he managed to piss off. The two brides, Cassandra and Mei, were kind, patient, and full of love. Their parents, however, were driving Steve up the wall with every objection they had. He walked into his office building, hair slightly askew and carried two medium to-go coffee cups in a tray. As the elevator doors opened up to his office, he was greeted by his latest hire, Darcy.

“Hey Steve,” she said, eyes focused on her screen as her fingertips clicked and clacked across the keyboard. “Peter called earlier saying he has the photos from the Mushnik wedding ready. He can send them over whenever.” 

“Thanks, Darce.” 

He stopped at her desk, handing over one of the coffee cups. Darcy beamed, smiling wide. “Here you go. One caramel macchiato.” 

“Ooh, what’s the special occasion?” She took off the lid, bringing the cup closer to her face and blew before taking a sip.

“I was getting something and figured to get you something too.” Steve reached around his bag, unzipped and pulled out a pastry bag. “And if you want, here’s a raspberry danish.”

“Gimme!” Darcy made a grabbing motion, like a kid getting a present from Santa himself. He happily surrendered the danish, knowing that he had another one for himself. “You’re the best boss ever!”

“I try.” Before gathering himself and heading towards his desk, Steve pulled out his phone, double-checking some notes he made. “When you’re ready, I need you to call  _ Blooming Aster _ . The Ngyuen’s decided on bouquet C for the tables and gardenias for boutonnières.”

“Gardenias… and button-ears, got it.” 

Steve would have corrected her, but given everything he had on his plate and the confidence she had on her face when she repeated the memo, he decided to let it go. He shuffled over to his workspace, unloading his tablet and notebook on top of his desk. Before finally setting in, Steve inspected his plants, making sure they were adequately watered and getting enough light. Thankfully today was sunny, so they could soak up all the brightness. He wished that  _ some people _ could do the same. 

He hummed as he picked up his notebook, flipping through it and glossing over the notes he made. Mei’s family wanted to integrate red into the wedding. Her parents were okay with her wearing a white wedding dress if that was what she wanted, but insisted on  _ something _ to be red. Cassandra was more than happy to have Mei and her family celebrate their culture but her mother, on the other hand, thought red was too pompous for a wedding. 

With a sigh, he sat down, letting his bodyweight pull him into a slow spin in his chair. Sometimes, he needed to completely clear his mind and zone out. Otherwise, he’d stay stuck at his desk for hours, even days, stylus in hand with a blank page on his tablet. 

In his line of work, people had asked him if he thought about getting married. Steve  _ did _ think about it a few times before, being a blushing groom eager to spend the rest of his life with the right partner. And it wasn’t as if Steve had zero options. He dated here and there, but never found anyone that ultimately wanted the same things he did. 

“Timing is the key,” his mother, Sarah—may she rest in peace—had told him. “Just be sure the man you find will love you as fiercely as you love him. Love is a fire, my boy. It can warm you at your darkest, or it can consume you. And if it does, let it be for the right one.” 

Steve was brought out of his daydream by the buzzing of his phone. A groan escaped him as he checked to see who was calling. Seeing that it was Sam, however, he didn’t mind so much.

“So I have some good news and bad news,” Sam said as soon as Steve picked up. 

“Yeah?” Steve kept his phone wedged between his shoulder and cheek. “What’s up?”

“So game night is still on,  _ but _ Natasha had to ask two of her friends to fill in.”

Although Sam couldn’t see, Steve raised an eyebrow. Ever since their first year at college, Steve, Sam and Natasha had a tradition of meeting up every other Friday night to relax, catch up and play some games to unwind from the week’s stress. However, since everyone has been moving about with their lives, they’ve resorted to playing games online. Cards Against Humanity was always fun, but they’ve branched out to Quiplash, Catan online and occasionally Among Us. 

“What happened with Thor and Carol?”

Sam hummed. “Thor said something about a training camp that needed him.”

_ Makes sense _ , Steve thought. Thor made it onto their college football team and went back for his Masters in sports medicine. Of course he’d be busy once the season picked back up.

“Carol said Monica had a recital. She and Maria don’t wanna miss it.”

“That’s fair,” Steve said. “So who did Nat string along?”

“Do you remember Clint Barton? We took that one econ class with him our second year.”

That name  _ rang _ a bell. He thought of the few people he talked to in that class and then  _ boom _ , it clicked.

“Clint… Oh! The guy with the service dog that eats pizza?”

“Yup. Apparently, he and Nat are fuckin’ tight. Small world. The other guy is some dude in Indiana.”

“Indiana?”

Sam laughed at Steve’s incredulousness. 

“Yeah. She said that he’s from Brooklyn, but his family moved when they were kids.”

Huh. What the hell was in Indiana?

“If Nat thinks they’re good, that’s enough for me.”

“Cool. So I’ll talk to you later tonight.”

“Alright. Later.”

Steve leaned back in his chair. This could be fun. But the fun would have to wait until after work. Steve spent most of his day aimlessly doodling on his tablet, let the art direct him instead of the other way around. By the time lunch rolled around, he came up with several palettes and potential wedding invitation designs. Thankfully, in the short amount of time they’ve known each other, Darcy knew what Steve wanted from the Thai place down the street.

“I gotchu boo,” she said, winking as she dropped off his red curry.

After lunch, he kept working on some designs and made a few phone calls. Once it rolled around five o’clock, he cleaned up his desk, happy to see that Darcy left a sticky note detailing what she did for the day.

The commute was long, as always. God bless the MTA. When a train with enough space pulled into the station, Steve packed himself in, another sardine in the can. With everyone pressed in, Steve found himself in a place where he couldn’t reach a pole or a bar above. He was lucky to have a good sense of balance—taking the buses in New York, which was already a hell like no other, helped him find it. But it was still a pain and he couldn’t be more thankful when he arrived at his stop. 

When he checked his phone, he found himself added to a new group chat by Natasha. 

**Steve Rogers**

> Hey guys  
>  Finally got home

**Sam Wilson**

> What the hell took you so long?  
>  I’m already almost done with my pizza

**Natasha Romanov**

> Hey Steve :)  
>  Did you eat already?

**< Unknown Number>**

> how do u make smiles ominous

**< Unknown Number>**

> At least she doesn’t spam w/ stickers or gifs

**< Unknown Number>**

> _ elmofire.gif _

**Natasha Romanov**

> Those idiots are Clint and Bucky Barnes

**Clint Barton**

> hewwo steeb!  
>  long time no talk  
>  _ elmofire.gif _

**Sam Wilson**

> At least use a different gif

**Clint Barton**

> _ Kissy-sticker _

**Steve Rogers**

> Hey! It’s been a while  
>  How’s Lucky?

**Clint Barton**

> so u admit to loving him more than me

**Steve Rogers**

> Never said that, but give him pets for me?  
>  And nice to meet you Bucky!

**Bucky Barnes**

> *finger guns

**Sam Wilson**

> Can we start the call now?

**Steve Rogers**

> I’m ready

Steve joined the call eagerly, ready to throw away the stress that had built up over the past few days. 

“Yo,” Clint said. “So wait, are we doing a video call or just a voice chat?”

“I don’t know about you guys,” an unknown, but incredible voice said. “But I’m not lookin’ so hot right now.”

_ Oh god _ , Steve thought.  _ He sounds hot. _

“I’m sure you look fine,” Natasha hummed. “C’mon I haven’t seen your ass in a while.”

“There will be no ass showing on this sacred night,” Sam said, laughing. “But seeing as tonight’s game is Quiplash, it might be fun seeing everyone’s reactions.”

“Alright… putting on cam now.” Steve pressed the video icon and the others followed suit.

Steve soon realized that Bucky Barnes is a goddamn liar. Long brown locks framed his face, cascading along the sides and though the quality of the call didn’t show it, Steve had a feeling that Bucky’s eyes would go through him, burning a hole to his very core. If it weren’t for seeing Sam, Natasha and Clint at the same time, Steve would have dropped his phone.

“What the hell are you talking about,” Clint said. “Bucky you look  _ fine as fuck _ .”

“Settle down,” Natasha snorted. “C’mon, let’s get the game started already. I can host and send you guys the code.”

“Bring it on y’all,” Sam said with a confident grin. “My answers might not have gotten picked a lot last time, but I’m gonna make up for it tonight.”

True to his word, Sam racked up points easily in the first several rounds. However, his reign was soon overtaken by Natasha to no one’s surprise.

“Rogers, I’m starting to think that you might not like me,” Bucky faux-grumbled. “You haven’t picked any of my jokes.”

“Well, when you get a sense of humor, I’ll pick you.”

Clint and Sam let out a long “ _ ooooooooooh. _ ”

“Brave fighting words,” Natasha snickered. “But it’s starting to get late. Maybe we should call it quits for tonight?”

“Awww, but it’s only one.” Clint pouted. “But  _ fine _ .”

Sam shook his head, but smiled. “Hey, some of us have weekend plans and I’m not gonna miss leg day.”

“C’mon, we can all use some sleep.” Natasha waved. “G’night, boys.”

“Night.”

“Good night.”

Steve sighed. This was one of the best nights he had in a while, and he didn’t want it to end. But sleep sounded like a good idea. He could even sleep in and—

“Oh, uh.”

Steve shook his head, looking back down on his phone screen. Natasha, Clint and Sam had left the group call, but Bucky remained, staring back at Steve with a quizzical expression. 

“Aren’t you going to bed?” Bucky asked.

Now Steve was facing a dilemma. He could either push back sleeping for a bit longer or he could hang up now. Talk to a  _ very _ attractive man or hang up on him. Yeah, fuck that.

“I might stay up a bit longer,” he said carefully. “What about you?”

“I’m off this weekend, so I can afford another hour or two.”

Another hour or two. One on one. With a man that had the face of a Greek god. _Hell yes._

“To be honest, I have pretty bad insomnia,” Bucky admitted. 

Steve hummed. “I was like that back in college.”

“Oh yeah? What about now?”

“I-I’m a wedding planner,” Steve said, face growing warm. He didn’t know much about Bucky, if he’d look down on him for his profession, which was ridiculous because a.) he just met the man and making assumptions was rude and b.) Natasha wouldn’t hang around assholes that looked down on other people, even moreso her friends.

“Whoa, that sounds cool! I just… teach kids how to swim.”

_ Oh, he’s athletic. _

“Hey, that’s hard work. And planning weddings isn’t really glamorous.”

“To be honest the only knowledge I have is from that Jennifer Lopez movie from forever ago.” Bucky shifted around until he was clearly lying down comfortably. Steve swallowed thickly, hoping Bucky hadn’t noticed. “So what does being a wedding planner entail?”

“Lots and lots of coordination. Going through color palettes, invitation designs, guest lists, reservations…”

“Sounds like a lot for one person to handle,” Bucky hummed. 

Steve leaned back on his sofa. “It is, but I love the creative aspects of my job. I don’t mean to brag, but I’m good at it.”

“That’s awesome. Not a lot of people get a job they love.”

Something about that made Steve beam with pride. He absolutely loved his job and wouldn’t trade it for anything. 

“Do you like yours?” Steve asked, butterflies swirling in his stomach, dying to know more about Bucky.

“Yeah. It’s actually pretty fun and the kids are usually great. It’s a beginners class and mostly elementary school kids, but anyone can be a beginner.”

If Steve didn’t know how to swim, he’d ask Bucky for some lessons. Steve decided to file that fantasy away for now.

“Have you always liked swimming?”

“Mhmm. I was on the swim team in high school and college. Senior year, I was team captain. We went to several competitions in college, but after hurting my arm, I had to quit the team.”

“Shit, I’m sorry.” He didn’t know whether or not to cower in embarrassment and avoid Bucky’s eyes for the rest of the call, but Bucky smiled gently.

“It’s okay. After moping around, I went through physical therapy. I can’t swim competitively, but I didn’t want to give it up.”

He’d only known Bucky for several hours, but Steve was in complete awe of this man. On top of being gorgeous, Bucky was determined and kept going. It was a quality Steve could relate to and something he admired. 

“That’s amazing,” Steve said. “I’m glad you’re doing better.”

“Yeah, and the kids are great so it all worked out in the end.” Bucky’s eyes shined. Or maybe it was just the light reflecting off of Steve’s phone. Steve wasn’t sure and he didn’t care.

How was it that he felt that he knew Bucky for years? His nerves were on fire and at the same time, Steve felt at ease. He wanted to ask Bucky more about himself, but without meaning to, a yawn escaped him. Bucky laughed, and god, did Steve want to hear that laugh forever.

“How can you call yourself a New Yorker if you’re tapping out this early,” Bucky asked with a smirk. “My life not entertaining enough for you?”

“Guess I’m more tired than I thought. But it was really nice talking to you Bucky.”

_ I don’t want this to end. _

“Nice talking to you, too. G’night.”

As Steve hung up and settled into the cool sheets his heart hammered away, pulse thrumming in his ears. The thrill was rushing through him, and it was utterly ridiculous to Steve that he might have a crush on a guy he barely knew. It was childish. It was silly. But Steve was young at heart, and this could be his silly little secret. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew sorry for taking forever with this. Fatigue is the absolute worst! But here we go, chapter two!

Steve was losing his mind. It had been two days since he was introduced to Bucky Barnes, and he was  _ reeling _ like a damn teenager. Truthfully, he wanted to message Bucky again, just to say, “hey, hope your day was good” or something along those lines. Did people do that? And if so, how do people deal with the awkwardness of rejection? How would that impact the friend group and future game nights?

“Earth to Steve?”

He looked quickly, taken by surprise. Darcy raised an eyebrow. 

“You… okay there?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Steve exhaled. “Just thinking about a lot.”

“Oh, uh. Like, a person? Is there a person I need to fight? I have a taser in my bag.”

“No—wait. Darcy. I appreciate the gesture, but that’s not necessary.”

Darcy shot him a skeptical look, but shrugged. “Just say the word, and I’m hittin’ them with lightning!”

Steve sank back in his chair. It was going to be a long day.

When he finally got home, Steve changed into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt before settling on his couch. If his friends saw how anxious he was about sending one text, he'd never hear the end of it. He inhaled deeply, and pressed on Bucky's name in the group text to send him a message.

**Steve**

> Hey Bucky!  
>  How’d you weekend pan out?

Was that too much? Oh god, maybe it was. Maybe he was overstepping and Bucky wasn't ever going to join game night again in the first place and— ****

**Bucky**

> it was good! got some good ol’ r&r

Relieved, Steve asked more about Bucky’s day. To his surprise, the conversation grew from there, going on until about midnight. And again the next day, and the day after that. They started understanding each other’s humor by the time game night rolled around, to the point where Sam feigned jealousy over knowing Steve the longest and thus should have a better grasp on his sense of humor. And of course after they call it a night, Sam texted Steve to tease him on his new chemistry with Bucky. 

_ I see how it is, _ Sam said.

Steve told Sam he didn’t know what he was talking about, and was met with something he was always told since he was a kid. 

“You’re a terrible liar.”

And he was. Steve was shit at lying and keeping secrets. On top of that, Steve was shit at flirting, too. In past pursuits, he couldn’t find the words to express such primal desires.  _ I want to know you. I want to spend time with you. I want you. Kiss me. Love me. _

It was difficult in person, and Steve hadn’t tried dating apps—he was rather traditional. So how the hell was he supposed to flirt digitally? 

Steve sighed as looked through his phone, glossing over local restaurants. He wasn’t in the mood to cook anything, but he wasn’t sure what to eat either. So far he narrowed it down to three options: chicken over rice, pizza and sushi. As this thumb hovered over his screen, his phone buzzed with a received message.

**Bucky**

> Hey, can I call you real quick?

Someone out there had it in for Steve Rogers, he just didn’t know who.

_ Sure _ , Steve replied, thumbs trembling. Not even a full second after sending that, his phone went off, Bucky’s name appearing on the screen.

“Uh, hi?” Steve said dumbly as he answered the call, internally cringing at the sound of his own voice. “What’s up?”

“Just wanted some company, if that’s okay. Normally I call Nat but she’s busy with something right now.” In the background, Steve heard other voices and some music. “I’m doing some grocery shopping and with the Friday sale going on it feels like hell on earth.”

“Oh, well. Perfect. That means you can help me decide what to get for dinner. I’m stuck between halal, pizza and sushi.”

Bucky chuckled softly. “Those options couldn’t be further from each other. Hmmm… if the sushi place is good, go for it. Otherwise, get halal and let me live through you.”

“What, you’re trying to tell me there are no halal carts in Indiana,” Steve said with a wry smile.

“Not where I live. My usual order was lamb over rice, white sauce, red sauce and green sauce if they had it.”

“Huh. Maybe I should try that.” Winner, winner, halal chicken dinner. The closest halal cart was a few blocks away, but it'd be worth it.

“I don’t know if your white palate can handle that.”

Steve snorted. “What the hell? You’re white too, from what I remember.”

“Yeah, but I’m what they call a  _ spicy white _ .” A rattling thud rang in Steve’s ears. Bucky was probably putting things in a shopping cart.

“So then, Mr. Spicy White, whatcha shopping for?”

“Baking stuff. My niece has a bake sale, so my sister decided to exploit my baking skills.”

The image of that made Steve smile ridiculously. How on earth was someone so sweet? Fuck, this just made everything worse. “That’s a good skill to have. I can barely make brownies without messing things up.”

Bucky straight-up cackled. “You just need eggs, oil and water! You can’t go wrong with Betty Crocker.”

“If you have any tips, I’m all ears.”

_ That’s it, Rogers. Open the door a bit. Give him room to talk more to you. _

But Bucky didn’t really talk after that, unless Steve counted Bucky humming along to the songs at the grocery store. He muttered under his breath here and there. From what Steve could make out, he was comparing prices between big name-brand and store-brand. Eventually, Bucky sighed into the phone.

“Thanks for indulging me, Steve. I don’t always do well in cramped places.”

He sounded so sincerely grateful and almost ashamed. Steve didn’t know why—sometimes, it helps to have someone else there. 

“No problem.”

_ This is your chance! Don’t be an idiot and mess this up. _

Steve swallowed thickly. “If you need someone to talk at, I wouldn’t mind doing this again.”

“Really,” Bucky perked up. “That… that’d be really nice. I’ll text you before I need to call you?”

_ You did it. _

“That works.”

_ You didn’t fuck up this time! _

“Alright. I gotta get all my stuff checked out. Talk to you later?”

“Yeah. Talk to you later.”

Steve grinned. There was going to be a next time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, to be Steve, an anxious bean. If Steve were braver, they could've had a whole different conversation:
> 
> Bucky: I don't do well with cramped spaces.  
> Steve: What about *slaps his own butt* this ass?
> 
> But yeah... they're getting to know each other better! The next chapter is going to be super cute and will be posted as soon as the holidays will allow me. Speaking of which, have a wonderful holiday everyone! Bake yourself some cookies! Watch some cute holiday specials! Drink eggnog, if that's your thing! I'll see y'all in the next update! Love you <3


	3. Chapter 3

Steve had bad days before, but this day in particular put him on edge. It was bad enough that the F train was late, and he was almost shit on by a flock of pigeons. But as soon as he stepped into the office, Steve knew something was wrong. He could hear rapid typing coming from one of the desks and Darcy, who was usually upbeat, sat at the front, mindlessly stirring her cup of coffee. As it turned out, all the typing came from Peter. He panicked when he saw Steve, typing even faster, eyes wide and frantically looking at his screen. But as Steve approached him, Peter stood up.

“Mr. Rogers, sir, I—”

“—calm down, Peter.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “And for the last time, you can call me Steve.”

“Yes. Mr. Um. Steve. There’s a problem.” Peter inhaled deeply, then looked down at his laptop. “I’m having a hard time trying to recover some of the files for the Jones wedding. I-I thought it was better to tell you upfront.”

The Jones couple already called and asked about the photos. Steve had already told them that he’d need more time. They tried to sound polite about it, but Steve could hear the impatience in their voices. As long as Peter found them, it should be fine.

“Let me know as soon as you’re able to recover them,” he said. “I’ll check my computer, too.”

With a small salute, Peter sat back down and typed away, searching through his files. Steve turned to Darcy and upon closer inspection, he saw that her eyes were red and slightly puffy.

“Darcy,” Steve asked gently. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Totally okay. Just some super bad allergies.” Darcy sniffled a bit. “I’ll just take some Benadryl or something.”

“Doesn’t look like that to me.”

“It’s fine. It was my fault anyway. I’ll get it sorted out.”

“Darcy…”

“It was… It was Mr. Hill. He had um… a colorful way of asking to do a whole redo for the concept designs. I told him that I needed to wait for you to come in before I could c-confirm any dates for him a-and— ”

Immediately, Steve picked up the phone from the front desk and brought it closer to him. If it was solely towards Steve, he would’ve let it roll off his shoulders. But they went after someone else and Steve wasn’t going to have it. He called the man back without hesitation and informed him that he would be put on a list of people to not be served and would pass it along to his partners.

“You’re gonna regret this,” the man shouted. “My father is—”

“—frankly, sir, I don’t give a shit. Now, go have yourself a good day.” 

When he hung up, Darcy looked at him, both worried and impressed. 

“Thanks, Steve… but what about—”

“—don’t worry about it. If he meant it, I’ll handle it.” He patted her shoulder. 

“I’ll forward his information to our contacts,” Darcy said. “I got it from here, boss.”

Steve nodded, then went over to his desk and placed his bags on his chair. A sigh escaped him as he pushed his hair back. He wasn’t too worried about some spoiled guy who treated people like crap, but the misplaced photos were concerning. 

By the end of the day, Steve couldn’t find the files, and neither could Peter. He told Steve that it could be on one of his other hard drives or SD card, and that he’d check at home. Before everyone headed home, however, Darcy and Peter knocked on his office door. 

“Come in,” he called.

Darcy and Peter shuffled in with a small white box. Even though Peter tried his best to hide the label with his hands, Steve recognized it immediately.

“So um.” Darcy elbowed Peter, making him hold the box forward. “We wanted to thank you for being an awesome boss and to say sorry for causing you so much trouble.”

“It’s cheesecake from Martha’s,” Peter said. “We didn’t know what kind to get so there’s the classic, strawberry and marble.”

“Aw, you guys didn’t have to.” Steve took the box from Peter, thumbs running along the edges appreciatively. “I’m sure it had to be expensive.”

“It’s nothing we couldn’t afford.” Darcy straightened her jacket. “We’ll be off now! See you tomorrow.”

“See you guys tomorrow.”

Steve smiled as he packed up his things for the day, being sure to carry his cheesecakes home with great care. When he got home, he put them in the fridge, knowing the slices would be wonderful with a cup of coffee after dinner. And thankfully, as Steve was figuring out dinner, Peter called to say that the photos were safe and sound, just on the wrong SD card. With that, Steve was glad to have the day behind him. 

_ Bzz bzz. _

Quickly, Steve checked his phone again, and was happy to see a new message from Bucky. Normally, he would have a chance to text him on his way back home, but cradling such delicate cargo on a packed train made it difficult. He opened the message and saw a photo of Bucky smiling with his hair divided into two uneven braids. The braids were tied off with fruit-decorated hair ties. 

**Steve**

> Why the pigtails?

**Bucky**

> I had to look nice for my niece’s teaparty, duh.

God, the thought of Bucky sitting down at a tiny table with his niece was so sweet and wholesome, Steve thought his heart was going to explode. Bucky sent Steve another picture. This time, it was several boxes of cookies, some neatly decorated with icing. 

**Bucky**

> This was for the bake sale. The better looking ones are mine and the crappy ones are my sister’s

Steve snickered as he typed a response. The cookies looked really good, and Steve’s mouth watered at the thought of something sweet.  _ I bet they were delicious _ , he texted.

**Bucky**

> I showed you mine now show me yours

Steve’s ears burned. Curse his imagination getting the better of him.

**Bucky**

> Show me something from your day

As if that was supposed to rectify sending Steve’s pulse into a frenzy. He didn’t really want to talk about today’s mess, but Steve quickly thought of what he could send to Bucky.

**Steve**

> It’s nothing special and from two weeks ago but it’s something

**Bucky**

> ooooooh is that from a wedding you planned?

**Steve** **  
**

> Yeah

**Bucky**

> that’s so pretty!

**Steve**

> Not as pretty as you with those braids

**Bucky**

> You think so? Maybe one day I can swoon a knight in shining armor

Steve sighed. He didn’t know if he could bring himself to tell Bucky that while he was no knight, he was definitely enamored. 

**Steve**

> Well, this squire’s gotta get dinner going. Talk to you later?

**Bucky**

> Enjoy dinner!

Steve didn’t know how much his heart could take.

* * *

He was rather proud of this wedding, not to say that he isn’t proud of all of them. Aside from having both grooms be happy, everything was perfectly timed. More often than not, something always went wrong. VIPs would get lost on the way to the venue. Flowers showed up at the very last minute. An uninvited guest shows up. But not today. 

He was proud enough to send a picture to Bucky. It took about thirty minutes to get the right lighting, but it was worth it. 

_What do you think,_ he texted.

Immediately, he was getting an incoming call from Bucky. He stepped outside, where the music wasn’t playing so loudly and answered his phone.

“The place looks gorgeous, Steve!”

“Glad you think so.” Steve laughed softly. He wasn’t sure if it was all the romance in the air, or if he had one too many shots of liquid courage at one of the bride’s insistence. But before he knew it, the words slipped out of him. “Not as gorgeous as you.”

_ Oh, no _ . 

His own words registered in an instant, and Steve found himself stuttering, trying to take it all back.

“Well, I  _ am _ a fine specimen.”

Steve could hear Bucky’s smile through the phone. He didn’t want to lose this intimacy. He’d been yearning for his own love for so many years. He’d been hurt before. He felt hopeless. But since the first night he and Bucky talked, Steve had a fluttering in his chest that grew and he would be devastated if it ever stopped.

“But you are gorgeous, y’know,” he asserted. 

“I’d be careful if I were you, Steve.” Bucky’s voice was nice and light, as if the rest of the world was put on hold. “A guy might think you’re flirting.”

When did Steve’s shirt collar get so tight? Were his palms sweating this entire time? Steve swallowed thickly. This had been a mistake, hadn’t it? “Oh. Am I that bad?”

“Wait, are you… ”

Steve wanted to cry. He felt the tears welling up, blurring his vision. Fuck. He was at a wedding. He was on the job, and here he was, crying like a heartbroken teenager. “Um, I gotta go, uh, check something—”

“—Steve, wait. Stay a bit?”

There was no recovering from this. Steve wiped his eyes with the heel of his palm.“I… I-I like you, I think.”

“You think?” Bucky’s voice hadn’t changed all that much, but he sounded more relieved. Maybe at the fact that now he knew Steve’s hidden intentions. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

“Yeah, I—”

“—thank  _ God _ ! I thought it was just me.” 

Steve almost loses his grip on his phone. “You…?”

“Steve, I like you, too.” 

This couldn’t be true. Steve Rogers didn’t attract fairytale romances. 

“Do you mean that,” he asked quietly. “If you’re joking…”

Steve heard a beep on his phone and saw that it said  _ Incoming Video Call from Bucky _ . He hit the camera icon and soon enough, Bucky’s face appeared on his screen. He looked like he was fresh out of the shower, hair still damp.

“Steve, look at me.”

He gulped at Bucky’s commanding voice, and obeyed.

“I wouldn’t play with your feelings like that. I’ve thought about this for a while now. I’ve been talking to you all this time because I… I like you. And I want to get to know you better.”

Every word made his breathing hitch and his heart skip a beat. Bucky was pouring his heart out—Steve could hear the sincerity in his voice. 

“I… since that first night…” Steve swallowed thickly. “Since that night, I’ve liked you.”

“Look at us, a pair of dorks liking each other before we’ve met each other.” Bucky smiled, one corner of his mouth higher than the other. 

“Yeah, we’re dorks.” Steve felt all of the tension leave his body. “But I can be  _ your _ dork.”

“Wow, Rogers. You gotta work on your flirting.”

“Why, when I’m gonna have you?”

In that moment, Steve realized that Bucky’s laugh was all he ever wanted to hear for the rest of his life. 

“So… how are we doing this?”

“I… don’t know,” Bucky admitted. “I’ve never done a long-distance relationship before. Have you?”

“Nope.” Bucky didn’t need to hear any of his past failed relationships. At least, not yet. “But… I don’t think I’d mind saying I have a b-boyfriend in Indiana.”

“Boyfriend, hm? Are you my boyfriend in New York, then?”

A blush crept across Steve’s cheeks. “If you want me to be.”

“Then that’s it, you’re my boyfriend.”

“And you’re my boyfriend.”

Boyfriend. Who knew one word could make someone so happy? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I haven't forgotten this fic! Between running the Stucky Big Bang, school and just overall depression rearing its ugly head, it's been rough! But I had a lot of fun with this chapter, so I hope you enjoy reading it. Don't forget to leave some kudos and comments (they are my lifesource at this point, along with coffee lol).
> 
> Feel free to say hi to me on twitter (@queerestblues) where I talk about Steve's tits and ass from time to time. I'll see y'all in the next update!

**Author's Note:**

> The title from the fic comes from Norah Jones' "Come Away With Me." 
> 
> I live for dorky stucky, especially dumbstruck Steve. 10,000 points to anyone who caught the Little Shop of Horrors reference, with an additional 15 points for getting this one! 
> 
> Again, thank you kalika_999 for your bid! 
> 
> I hope y'all enjoy the incoming cuteness. Comments and kudos mean the world to me! Stay safe out there and see y'all next weekend!


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